FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA A crossroads of history, people and traditions Friuli Venezia Giulia has a wine growing tradition that dates back to the Roman Empire. The geographically strategic position of the region made it the only north-eastern access to the peninsula, qualifying it as the crucial passage connecting Italy and the regions beyond the Alps. These were the reasons that allured the many transiting through the region, who also soon understood how the fortunate combination of a particular climate and the unique characteristics of the soil would be perfect for wine growing. The geography of Friuli Venezia Giulia today is the result of the signifcant geological upheavals that occurred over the course of millions of years; indeed, the region originated following the emergence of the sea foor shaped by millennia of tides and currents, which contributed to the formation of the hills that make up the Collio Goriziano, or simply Collio. The soil contains all the minerals that derive from that ancient sea and still today bestow the wines with a very distinctive character. The Romans, skilful farmers as they were, immediately realized that this region could offer wines of excellent quality, and invested enormous resources to establish viticulture and wine making structures. Then, along the centuries, some varieties were imported from France and Germany and the wine growing techniques were refned. At this point viticulture had acquired such importance as to have architects carefully craft the hill slopes to better intercept the sunlight, which resulted in the typical terraces which still today characterise the landscape. TENUTA BORGO CONVENTI A legacy of great passion for wine Established in 1975, in Farra d’Isonzo in the heart of the province of Gorizia, Borgo Conventi owes its name to the monasteries that thrived in this locality between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries; a locality that was particularly suitable for wine growing. The estate covers about 30 hectares and produces wines under the Collio DOC and Isonzo appellations from native and international varieties. The heritage of experience and respect for tradition go together with our drive for innovation and excellence. The philosophy behind Borgo Conventi is to craft wines that have a distinctive geographical identity and a true varietal expression, pursuing elegance and balance between structure and appeal. VINEYARDS Our vineyards lie part in the Isonzo DOC plain where the soil is medium textured with higher river- gravel content, and part on the hill slopes of the Collio DOC zone characterised by the typical soil that has a clayey texture and is rich in minerals. The average age of the vineyards is about 20 years, and besides the international varieties that have perfectly adapted to the Friulian region, namely Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, there are the native grapes, among which, Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso and Schioppettino. The vines are trained mainly to Guyot and Sylvoz systems to enhance the potential of our wines. In the winery, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, we are committed to crafting wines that express the full potential of the territory and the variety, preserving the appeal and typicality cornerstones of our wine making philosophy. White wines represent 85 percent of our total production. We only use controlled temperature stainless steel vats, which allows us to preserve full freshness and elegance. Some of the red wines are vinifed in stainless steel vats and aged in the bottle to be appreciated for their fruitiness and varietal authenticity, while others are vinifed in wooden vats and aged in French oak barriques: these wines are outstanding for their bottle-aging potential which also reveals their extreme fnesse. The meandering emerald river nurtures the vineyards that give the “I Fiori del Borgo” wines The sediments left behind by River Isonzo enrich the soil of the felds along its course. The vineyards of the Tenuta Borgo Conventi estate are nurtured by the mineral rich soil of the right bank of the river and by the complex microclimate they enjoy. A terroir that was chosen in 1985 to craft youthful and fresh wines that recall spring wildfowers. On these hills you can still sense the scent of the sea. Waves of lush-green terraced vines. The friable rock of the Collio is the result of emergence of the sea foor that occurred millions of years ago. Now the layers of clay and sand fake away easily, and when you take a handful of soil you can sense the scent of the sea and spot tiny fossils. The same sense you get when tasting the whites produced on these hills, home to our oldest vineyards. Cru In the course of the years we have selected several Cru areas where we grow the varieties that best express their intrinsic quality enhanced by the particularities of the climate, the soil, and the orientation sun. Besides our Cru Braida and Colle Blanchis, which are crafted from rather old vines that grow in specifc vineyards and that enjoy a particularly favourable exposure to the sunlight, we also produce Schioppettino. These wines are the translation of our pursuit of the maximum expression of the terroir, and are only produced in vintages deemed to offer excellent quality. I FIORI DEL BORGO • Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia IGT • Pinot Grigio Isonzo del Friuli DOC • Friulano Isonzo del Friuli DOC • Chardonnay Isonzo del Friuli DOC • Sauvignon Isonzo del Friuli DOC • Refosco Isonzo del Friuli DOC • Merlot Isonzo del Friuli DOC • Cabernet Franc Isonzo del Friuli DOC COLLIO • Ribolla Gialla Collio DOC • Pinot Grigio Collio DOC • Friulano Collio DOC • Chardonnay Collio DOC • Sauvignon Collio DOC • Merlot Collio DOC CRU • Colle Blanchis Sauvignon Collio DOC • Schioppettino Venezia Giulia IGT • Braida Nuova Rosso Venezia Giulia IGT TENUTA BORGO CONVENTI S.r.l. Strada della Colombara 13 – 34072 Farra d’Isonzo (GO) Tel. +39 0481 888004 Fax +39 0481 888510 e.mail [email protected] www.borgoconventi.it.